Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Jack the Ripper

Image Owner/Creator: Paramount/CBS Studios

J is for Jack the Ripper. Who or what is Jack the Ripper? Our pointy eared friend, Mr Spock from Star Trek the Original Series has an interesting theory. The vulcan suggests that Jack the Ripper is essentially a "Ripper entity" and may not possess physical form. Instead the entity feeds off fearful humanoids terrorizing the wits out of its victims before taking possession of their minds and bodies! On the planet Argelius II, a black cloud looms over the Chief Engineer of the USS Enterprise NCC 1701, when Scotty is found gripping a knife with a poor belly dancer stabbed to death at his feet. Dr Hengist is the Administrator and a native to Rigel IV. He takes a keen interest in the murders as the noose around Scotty's neck begins to tighten

Captain Kirk investigates the name "Redjac" which is a nickname for "the Ripper", so too were "Kelsa and Beratis" on worlds the ripper entity visited. The enigma deepens when a female Argelian empath is brought in and detects an evil presence, driven by a deep hatred of women. The young women Sybo, crys out in agony before she too, is found murdered by the USS Enterprise's Chief Engineer. The question is, did Scotty do it? What makes Star Trek's TOS "Wolf In the Fold" frantically funny is Scotty can't remember anything which makes him look pretty guilty. I mean the guy is covered in the girls blood. Yup, right up to his eyeballs, so its worse than bad. Scotty's goose was in a spot but he wasn't finished.

The USS Enterprise NCC 1701 springs a lie-detector test which throws Mr Hengist into a spin. Scottys innocence is finally confirmed which gets the engineer off the hook. However, something doesn't quite add up so Kirk and Mr Spock leave no stone unturned. Why was Mr Scott found at the scene of the murders?. The murder weapon is discovered and analysis yields startling results. The knife originated from Rigel IV, Mr Hengist's home planet! When confronted, the "Redjac Entity" controlling Mr Hengist goes beserk. Mr Hengist has some explaining to do except on further scrutiny the "Redjac or Ripper" entity inhabiting Mr Hengist desserts his body and enters the Enterprise computer. Kirk and Spock devise a plan to get rid of "Redjac" once and for all. Scotty is relieved to discover he wasn't to blame for the serial murders. The Ripper entity made engineer Scott stab beautiful young Kara, Lieutenant Tracy and Prefect Jaris's pretty wife Sybo. It always fun to watch Chief Engineer Scotty get an active role during an away mission, but could you live with all that bloodshed on your hands?

2 comments:

This was one of my favourite Star Trek episodes, in part because it gave Scottie the spotlight for a change, but mainly because I loved the idea of Jack the Ripper as a malignant spirit travelling through time from planet to planet.